Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-04-22
KING OF SAWOUST SWlNDLeRS.
A Little Confidence Man Explains the
Inwardness of His Game.

A dapper little man stood on the corner
of Houston street and the Bowery the
other night. He wore an immaculate
white shirt 'front.' from which sparkled
a six karat brilliant of the purest water.
A heavy gold watch chain hung from his
waistcoat on which was suspended a
large gold horseshoe with seven diamonds,
representing nail heads. A large ring
encircled the little finger of his left hand,
with an eight karat stone imbedded in it,
which shot out little prismatc sparks
with snap at every move of his hand
This little man was none other than
Barney Mcguire, the king of sawdust
swindlers. He appeared to be more COM
municative than usual, and did not hest
tate to unbosom himself to a friend:
Ten years ago." he said, Il was
working at my trade as a journeyman
bricklayer, earning salary of So day.
don't Just now recall what first led me
into the Doodle business. but started as
you know. Other people know it, too,
and much to their sorrow.
The little confidence man gave q quiet
chuckle and continued: And l have
been so successful at the sawdust game
that 800, 600 in cold cash would not
touch me to-day, The game has grown
| so threadbare, and has been exposed SO
often, however, that am kept continu-
ally studying up some new scheme to
rope in the guys. 1t isn't anything like
it used to be, l can tell you. Why, l can
recollect five years ago, when l thought
nothing of raking in $1,000 week, and
on several occasions took in $l5, 900 in
one week. Those were good times.
| Nowadays if L make $500 or $1,000 |
think I'm playing in good luck. My ex-
penses are frightfully heavy. too. I've
always got fifteen or twenty steerers that
must be paid SIS or $50 a man, accord
ing to the Doodle that he drops. Then
there's my turner, who has charge of the
layout. He must be paid well, for a
/ good turner is not picked up every day,
and then, besides, have agents all over
the country looking up good subjects to
work on.
when a man is found whom it is
suspected will take the bait. one of my
circulars is sent him. There nothing in
it that could criminate me even if it got
into wrong hands. | don't tel him that
I'm selling counterfeit money, but simply
allude to it as manufactured green stuff
in the denominations of Is, IS, IS, los
and EOS. He generally knows what it
means. If he writes back for a sample,
and ! think he means business, cut, for
instance, a brand new. good S. bill in
two and send one-haf of it to him. This
generally brings him. 1t has been pre-
viously understood Letween MS that upon
his arrival in this city he is to telegraph
me at what hotel he is stopping and under
what name. Then one of my steerers
calls at the hotel and steers him to the
layout, which is situated either up stairs
or down in a basement with dark pas
sage way. You will understand the
reason for this presently.
when he gets into the layout it $ a very
rare thing that he leaves it with more
than just money enough money to take
him out of town. When he enters the
layout which has been fixed for his re-
ception new green crisp greenbacks greet
his eyes on all Sides The shelves are APP
parently full of them, and he imagines
that barrels are filled with the notes. The
packages on the shelves, however. simply
have bank note on the top and bolt ON.
The rest is paper cut the right size. The
barrels have false tops. The greenbacks
have just been brought from the sub
treasury on Wall street in exchange for
old bills. He first advances to the coun-
ter, takes up bill. and in nine cases out
of ten takes one from his pocket and COM
pares the two. He couldn't be Other
than satisfied. Then he signifies how
much he wants. He is told that he car
have $4,000 for $500. The money is
counted out by the turner, and either
done up in a package or placed in 6
valise If the guy has on good stone
or a watch and chain, some fabulous SUN
is offered for it and placed in with the
other money.
"When the package has been securely
sealed something must be done to distract
his attention from it. 1t requires only a
second. AS a rule, one of my men from
: behind him makes some startling re
mark, and he turns his head The sec
ond his head goes around a package il
substituted in place of the one the money
is in. He is allowed to carry his OWL
package in this case. But he is told that
in order to insure us against any treachery
! on his part, he must take the package t,
the express Office and send it to his home
He must then allow one of my men t.
accompany him to the train, and see thu
train start Off with him in it. Then w,
are safe.
"When he arrives home he calls for hi
package and very likely locks himself il
his room and stuiis the keyhOle full o
paper before he opens it. When he doe
open it he finds package of sawdust o
paper, with generally an accompanyin;
note which informs him that the package
has been substituted on the road.
I've had the same man come bacl
. three times for more thinking that it wa
stolen on the road If he does find GU
that we have duped him he can't squeal
l for he is as deep in the mire as we are.
, IF a guys attention in the substitut
+ ing act cannot he withdrawn from tn
| package, one of my men takes it, and il
company with the flat starts for the eX
. press office. Going through the dark pas
\ sage way or down stairs they meet a man
q In passing each other the packages are eN
! changed. It's regular sleight of han
xuorl Ri,t sow I'm TALKING too lopU ~